Grand Hymns of the Faith is a masterfully arranged collection for advanced pianists intended for use in the worship service, for special occasions and for one's own personal enjoyment and worship experience. In the words of the arranger, sacred music...is often the outward response of a heart filled with gratitude for what God has done." These beautiful hymn arrangements are a inspiring expression of that gratitude.an inspiring expression of that gratitude."
Our Hymns, Our Heritage encourages a love and appreciation for the church’s hymns—a significant way to pass the Christian faith from generation to generation. The book features music and lyrics for 121 hymns that every person should know, drawn from a cross-section of styles, themes, and historical eras. The hymns are divided into sections based on the church year, God’s nature and attributes, and our responses to Him. Each hymn is presented on single book spread—the left-hand page gives a brief biography of the text’s author and the melody’s composer as well as a devotional summary to aid singing with understanding. The right-hand page is hymnal-like with the music and stanzas for simple playing and singing. Our Hymns, Our Heritage can be used by parents and educators alike to instill a life-long love for the richness and beauty of hymns.
Ideal for Lent, but useful at any season and on any reading schedule, Prizing His Passion will help both the curious and the committed to grasp the immense significance of the sufferings of Jesus of Nazareth on behalf of sin-plagued humans. Approaching the relevant biblical truths from multiple angles, it will provide you with a deeper understanding of what He experienced and said during the hours that culminated in His death on a first-century Roman cross. It will reveal the reality and relevance of it all for you as you struggle to find your spiritual footing here in the twenty-first century. Godspeed as you travel the road to Golgotha, to Calvary!
Hymns and the music the church sings are tangible means of expressing worship. And while worship is one of, if not the, central functions of the church along with mission, service, education, justice, and compassion, and occupies a prime focus of our churches, a renewed sense of awareness to our theological presuppositions and cultural cues must be maintained to ensure a proper focus in worship. Hymns and Hymnody: Historical and Theological Introductions is a 60-chapter, three-volume introductory textbook describing the most influential hymnists, liturgists, and musical movements of the church. This academically grounded resource evaluates both the historical and theological perspectives of the major hymnists and composers that have impacted the church over the course of twenty centuries. Volume 1 explores the early church and concludes with the Renaissance era hymnists. Volume 2 begins with the Reformation and extends to the eighteenth-century hymnists and liturgists. Volume 3 engages nineteenth century hymnists to the contemporary movements of the twenty-first century. Each chapter contains these five elements: historical background, theological perspectives communicated in their hymns/compositions, contribution to liturgy and worship, notable hymns, and bibliography. The mission of Hymns and Hymnody is (1) to provide biographical data on influential hymn writers for students and interested laypeople, and (2) to provide a theological analysis of what these composers have communicated in the theology of their hymns. We believe it is vital for those involved in leading the worship of the church to recognize that what they communicate is in fact theology. This latter aspect, we contend, is missing-yet important-in accessible formats for the current literature.
Our Lord has wisely given the Psalms, the songbook of the Bible, for the benefit of the church. But for many people, the Psalms' contents are mysterious because they no longer have a place of prominence in the church's worship. Author J. V. Fesko hopes to awaken the church to the majesty, beauty, and splendor of the Psalms through a devotional exploration of Psalms 1 8, a "grand Christ hymn," in which David, as the suffering king, prefigures the king of kings, Jesus Christ. To encourage readers to come to a greater appreciation for the Psalms, the author includes with each chapter questions for further reflection and study and a metrical version of each psalm. He also recommends Internet resources that provide digital files of the tunes. Author J.V. Fesko is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, and is also academic dean and associate professor of systematic theology at Westminster Seminary California. Endorsements "Christians know they need instruction not only to pray but also to sing. By tracing the narrative of Christ in the opening eight psalms of the Psalter, this book helps me pray while I sing and sing while I pray. I learn not only to hear Christ in each psalm but I also begin to sing under the aegis of Christ, the chief musician. Those who have sung these psalms from their earliest days as well as those who have joined the Psalter choir only recently will find, with the Spirit's blessing, deeper and fuller sound." Gerald M. Bilkes, professor of New Testament and biblical theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, and author of Memoirs of the Way Home: Ezra and Nehemiah as a Call to Conversion
Noted composer and concert organist Robert Hebble has compiled an exceptionally useful collection of hymns. Arranged with the church organist in mind, each of the fifteen tunes is familiar and perfect for use in any church service. Included are such memorable titles as 'Abide with Me,' 'Fairest Lord Jesus' and 'Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.' Tastefully arranged for smaller instruments, this set of hymns is a must for every organist. Federation Festivals 2011-2013 selection.
